Donald Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration the central theme of his presidency, though he raised eyebrows on Thursday by apparently believing that actual “coyotes” were invading the country from Mexico.

“A nation without borders is a nation not at all,” Trump said in his remarks from Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

“Without borders, we have the reign of chaos, crime, cartels and believe it or not, coyotes.”

The President added that he refused to give in to “the whims of criminal organizations.”

Coyotes, of course, are a species of canine native to North America.

In the context of migrants crossing the border illegally, the term “coyotes” means a group of people who are paid money to help smuggle migrants into the United States.

Migrants pay a fee to coyotes who in return guide them across the border.

Once the migrant arrives to a pre-determined destination, usually a town along the border in California, Texas, or Arizona, they pay a fee to the coyote.

Trump’s invocation of coyotes has led to lots of memes involving Wile E. Coyote fleeing the Road Runner on social media, as well as general laughter that a president that invested in the immigration issue may not be familiar with the common term “coyote.”

Take a look:

Now we see the real reason for the wall. Trump is afraid of coyotes. pic.twitter.com/bmLcBnWVbo

— Emoluments Claus???? (@zendickhead) December 21, 2018

Having learned of 45's antipathy to coyotes (& not understanding the term) at the border, it now comes clear that Acme Corporation must be a division of the Trump Org, explaining backfiring plans and shoddy workmanship. pic.twitter.com/DovVEbi09i

— Howard Sherman (@HESherman) December 22, 2018

I think Trump is onto something with this wall to protect us from Coyotes. Here's the proof: pic.twitter.com/HHBDukdrvj

— “Chicken Legs” Flacko (@AlwaysFlacko) December 23, 2018

I would like to start a campaign to help save the coyotes from trumps wall fence. Any ideas please help. ????????@realDonaldTrump @theauntnanny #SaveTheCoyotes #TrumpShutdown #25thAmendmentNow #TrumpResign pic.twitter.com/522i7v5OmJ

— SmokinGrasshopper (@Grasshopper2049) December 22, 2018

Coyote 1: Stop it.
Coyote 2: No, seriously. He really said it.
Coyote 1: But Mexico?!?
Coyote 2: …#Trump#Coyotes pic.twitter.com/Wqsa65B1Fq

— Cate (@CateCosburn) December 22, 2018

Your daily reminder that President Trump thinks literal coyotes have taken over our border with Mexico. pic.twitter.com/IrsU9fhR89

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) December 22, 2018

WATCH:

“A nation without borders is a nation not at all. Without borders, we have the reign of chaos, crime, cartels and believe it or not, coyotes,” Trump said of the Senate spending bill he's refusing to sign due to it not meeting his demands on border security funding pic.twitter.com/aX3BgpTXX3

— POLITICO (@politico) December 20, 2018